1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to a liner insert for a pickup truck and more particularly to a liner insert unitarily formed with a rearward facing seat, a cargo compartment and a storage compartment under the seat back.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The dramatic growth of pickup truck vehicle sales as well as the extension of the pickup from a traditional utility truck to a recreational and basic transportation vehicle, has contributed to the need for a pickup truck bed insert which both protects the truck bed from damage and provides seating for passengers unable to be accommodated within the vehicle cabin. There are several prior art patents covering similar pickup truck protective liner barriers. Some of these are U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,473 to Lorenzen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,768 to Nix, U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,481 to Nix et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,678 to Nix, U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,481 to Nix et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,678 to Munuz et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,963 to Nix et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,146 to Markos, U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,214 to Wagner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,568 to Kapp et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,583 to Dresen et al. Although these prior art patents have been proposed as protective truck bed liner barriers, they have not been adapted to provide safe seating for outboard truck bed passengers.
Other prior art patents are U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,355 to McGann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,151 to Fillenstein, U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,263 to Bowden, U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,140 and 4,003,596 to Robertson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,898 to Way, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,187 to Ibrahim provides some seating but without a safe passenger seating means, a cargo compartment in the truck bed and a storage compartment behind the seat back. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,187 to Ibrahim shows two passenger seats, both facing forward and no seat belts. In case of a serious crash by the pickup truck, the passengers would be catapulted through the air with a high probability of being fatally injured. What is needed is a truck bed liner insert formed in a unitary manner to provide both a truck bed cargo compartment in combination with safe rear facing passenger seating and a secure storage compartment behind the seat back.